San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-14
CONSPICUOUS OPPORTUNITY.
Recounting a Lady's Adventures in
the Matrimonial Line.

Itwas not so bluntly stated, Of course,
and was accompanied by many why's and
wherefOres intended to modify to some ex-
tent what she considered the fendish con-
eeption and the indelicate execution of the
plot
Is was Of no consequence whatever to
Hemingway that she desired his demise;
was even figuring upon it at that moment
with pleasurable anticipations Of time
when 1t would have cast about her a mantle
of unimpeachable dignity and permanent
security from social prosecutions. She was
sitting there, like section Of paradise, fitted
Into that dingy chair, Illuminating the whole
room and filling 1t with the exquisite Odor
Of heliOtrope. To such presence man
may forgive much. There was but one
thought In his mind after he was assured
that L was not an illusion which had come
to torture him with malicious contrast. Her
friends would certainly object"
She assured him with strict veracity that
It was her own affair entirely and rested
with themselves.
When it all came out Annie was shocked
beyond anything. She had always known
that Meg would do something disgraceful,
but she was not prepared for this. To de-
liberately propose to man and then cOOlly
sit down with the eyes Of the whole COM
munity upon her and walt for him to die-it
was too much.
The Doctor was secretly in sympathy with
what he called the Mutual Benefit AssOcia-
ton, and the result of all this was an inn
mediate and quiet wedding, at which the
groom did not wear the regulation black"
Any unpleasant gossip that might have
followed the event was neatly averted by
story industriously circulated by Tom Ain
slee to the effect that Hemingway was real
ly an old lover of "Meg's," and some mys-
sterious hints of romantic story in the
background that he could tell if he felt dis
posed.
A week later, when Ainslee came for his
usual afternoon visit to the invalid, Meg
called him aside and hesitatingly inquired
whether he thought 1t would hurt the pa
tent to be moved.
"Um-m-m, no, don't think it would hurt
him to be moved; In fact, am sure it would
not; but would suggest that you are in
danger Of defeating your own purpose. Ii
you nurse him too well, you know, he might
recover, and that, under the circumstances,
would fall little short of disaster"
Don't be brutal, Tom" she said. This
place Is ineffably dismal, and he may as
well be comfortable for the little time that
Is left.
She took cottage in the suburbs near the
river, with plenty Of space around 1t and
windows that looked out upon an expanse
Of shining water and far blue rims Of hills.
1t was June; about the verandas and win
dows hung mass Of climbing roses that
filled the place with fragrance, and into the
airy front-room, with its wide windows and
its distant glimpses of river and green hills
beyond, went the invalids bed.
All day long the fresh breeze from the
river, laden with the odor Of roses, parted
the fleecy drapery Of the windows and blew
softly upon his face. Everywhere reigned
the delicious quiet his tortured nerves had
needed above all things; the grateful alb
sence Of the sound of wheels and other ur-
ban noses that had fretted his soul with
their din-the only echo of these that reach
Cd him now was the daily pilgrimage Of
Tom Ainslee's buggy. Near him, all day
long, sat Meg" In her soft white dress and
her flowers with the soft light on her brown
hair, and softer light in her great violet
eyes; surroundings which certainly invited
an interest In terrestrial things, and, as the
weeks passed by John Hemingway, a man
Of honor and sensitive conscience, began to
w kuuuiCu Will ulloSiNihS
that after all he was not going to fulfill his
part of the contract He felt that for the
FIRST time In his life he was about to go
squarely back on an obligation. he had en-
tered into deliberate contract to die with
In given time, and what amends could he
make for his ungenerous recovery Hwould
b but poor return for her assiduous at
tention and tender ministrations. She could
not have been more sweetly careful Of his
comfort II she had slowed with love that
was more than love-" in return for which
he was about to inlict upon her perma-
nent and unmitigated disappointment In
vain he assured himself that had he even
dreamed Of possible recovery he would
never have allowed her to take such risk.
This could not possibly alleviate her disap-
pointment nor excuse his perfdy.
IA WAS thinking of thAsA thinEs one day